1. Field of the Invention
The subject matter disclosed generally relates to the field of mobile two-way teleconferencing.
2. Background Information
Robots have been used in a variety of applications ranging from remote control of hazardous material to assisting in the performance of surgery. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,458 issued to Wang et al. discloses a system that allows a surgeon to perform minimally invasive medical procedures through the use of robotically controlled instruments. One of the robotic arms in the Wang system moves an endoscope that has a camera. The camera allows a surgeon to view a surgical area of a patient.
Tele-robots such as hazardous waste handlers and bomb detectors may contain a camera that allows the operator to view the remote site. U.S. Pat. No. 6,914,622 issued to Smith et al. and assigned to Telbotics, Inc. (“Telbotics patent”) discloses a teleconferencing platform that has both a camera and a monitor. The platform includes mechanisms to both pivot and raise the camera and the monitor. The Telbotics patent has a microphone and a system that automatically swivels the monitor to the origin of sound so that the user's image as displayed by the robot monitor faces a speaker.
There has been marketed a mobile robot introduced by InTouch Technologies, Inc., the assignee of this application, under the trademarks COMPANION and RP-7. The InTouch robot is controlled by a user at a remote station. The remote station may be a personal computer with a joystick that allows the user to remotely control the movement of the robot. Both the robot and remote station have cameras, monitors, speakers and microphones to allow for two-way video/audio communication. The robot camera provides video images to a screen at the remote station so that the user can view the robot's surroundings and move the robot accordingly. It would be desirable to create a microphone system that more closely simulated sound perceived by human errors so that the user experiences a more realistic auditory presence through the robot.